Zarg joined his parents at the table while they all waited for the ship to land. He’d packed his exploration bag. As a teenager he wouldn’t be involved in the actual mission. He would be free to explore his surroundings up to a predetermined boundary. For once he didn’t complain at not being treated like an adult. Zarg sat at the table graciously, forgetting to huff or sit with a thud.
“Have you packed a jumper?” Doreen cut to the important details.
“Yes mother.”
“And spare food in case you get hungry?”
“Yes mother.” Resentment seeped back to Zarg’s tone.
“Promise you’ll be careful whilst out exploring.” Doreen stood up. She spotted a surface that needed wiping.
“Yes mother.” Zarg had nothing but repetition.
“And don’t speak to any strangers.”
“Yes mother.” Zarg could have mentioned that all strangers would be frozen and thus unable to speak even if he wished, but he thought this would open up a whole discussion he didn’t wish to enter. Ted did have a topic he wished to discuss and brought it forth.
“Have you packed your gloves? They’re the important thing.”
“Yes father. They’re in my bag.”
“I still don’t like those gloves, Ted. They’re not thick enough, flimsy little things. His hands will freeze.” Doreen scoured the room for a scarf she could wrap round her son.
“Doreen, my love.” A hint of exasperation remained distant in Ted’s voice. “We’ve been through this. The gloves are not intended to keep the wearer’s hands warm.”
“Sounds like a fairly pointless pair of gloves then.” Doreen lifted a tray and cleaned feverishly beneath it.
“The gloves are far from pointless my dearest. They are the very tool that allows our plan to unfold.”
“Well all I’m saying is they could allow our plan to unfold in a nice shade of red rather than such garish silver.” She searched with her eyes for more dirt to vanquish.
“I’ll be sure to mention colour schemes next time our scientists are working on breaking the laws of physics.” Ted had nowhere to place his frustration. He rubbed his face as a form of release.
“Are you two arguing?” Zarg thought if he couldn’t be at the centre of an argument he may as well stir one up.
“No son.” Doreen answered as she found a corner that had escaped a wipe, or maybe it had already dried from ten minutes ago. She wiped it anyway just to be sure.
“We’re just chatting son.” Ted reassured whilst peering through his fingers, which still covered his face.
“Chatting with an air of tension in your voices?” Zarg poked further.
“You’re mistaking tension for love my eldest.” Ted replied, smiling sweetly at Doreen. She had her back turned and was humming a tune. “So do you understand how the gloves work?” Ted turned his full attention to Zarg.
“Of course, father. We had extensive training in landing class.” The silence and expression on Ted’s face suggested Zarg could only prove his knowledge through explanation. A simple yes was worth nothing. Zarg duly proceeded. “As we know all time is based on perception; and as every object on Earth has only ever lived within their time it is the only one they can perceive and thus move through.” Ted nodded as he looked to the ceiling. “The gloves we wear do not merely perceive time but also emit Earth time in a controllable field. This allows us to move any objects we may need to, to claim our rightful prize as its new owners.”
Ted felt pleased to no longer be arguing. “And what is to prevent the field of time waking up a resident of the planet?”
Zarg took a moment to think. If he’d known there would be a test he’d have written the answers on the inside of his eyelids. “The field isn’t strong enough to penetrate skin?”
“Well done son.”
Doreen had finished cleaning and walked over to the table. She had her own question. “Did you learn why they couldn’t do all that in a delicate puce?”
“They’re silver because that is what is expected from a group of invading spacemen. Spacemen wear silver clothing.” Ted tensed up instantly.
“But we’re not from space. We’re from Jeffery.” Doreen had a point.
“We know that but the humans think we’re from space and will be expecting us to look like such.” Ted bordered on politeness, frustration merging the tonal boundaries.
“Because three foot high green bodies with antennae sticking out of our heads isn’t enough?” Zarg joined in sarcastically. He spotted an easy target to wind up.
“I didn’t design the things. Why is everybody having a go at me?” Ted approached rage.
“Are you sure that’s love in your voice father and not tension?” Zarg turned the screw towards its limit.
“I see what’s going on and I won’t fall for it.” Zarg and Doreen exchanged blank glances in response to Ted’s accusation.
“Whatever are you talking about, Ted?” Doreen seemed genuinely clueless.
“These attempts to wind me up, well I won’t stand for it. I don’t want to hear another word from anyone until we land.” Ted used his best authoritative tone.
“Tapestry.” Edwin seized the silence he’d been waiting for.
“That’s very nice Edwin dear but your father doesn’t want anyone speaking. We must respect his wishes. I’m afraid you’ll have to take that back.” Edwin grinned, or burped. It was difficult to tell.
“Now don’t take things to extremes Doreen. You know what I meant.” The meagre amount of authority Ted had implemented crumbled instantly.
“I’m just obeying your orders dearest. If we have to keep quiet then it’s only fair Edwin should too. He has to learn at some point.”
“Can I say a word dad, seen as Edwin was allowed to say one?” Zarg tested the conversational water.
“No.” Ted stayed firm.
“Please.”
“It is only fair dear. Edwin did ge…”
“Gumdrops.” Edwin spoke again. A previously unspoken word.
“Very good son, a fourth word, but I’m afraid you’ll have to take that one back also unless Zarg is allowed to say two words.” Edwin laughed in Doreen’s face, blowing a bubble without intention for good measure.
“My rule was a very simple one. Why can’t you just obey it? Nobody is to speak until we land.” Ted changed colour slightly in frustration.
A moments silence settled, allowing Doreen to take a seat at the table. She lasted barely a few seconds before speaking. “So to be entirely sure about this, nobody is allowed to speak, including Edwin?”
Ted’s colouring returned to its normal shade. “Edwin at his tender age does not yet understand my authority and therefore cannot be held responsible for going against it. Everybody else does, and therefore can.”
Another brief silence descended before Zarg raised a legal point. “I appreciate your request father, and from here on in will obey it to the letter, but could I not have the two words Edwin had before the rules were clarified?”
“No.” Ted looked to the ceiling, closed his eyes, and tried to relax.
“Go on.” Zarg continued.
“I’ve explained my reasons.” Ted hoped nobody realised he hadn’t actually given any reasons for his rule.
“Let the lad have two words, Ted.” Doreen pleaded for her son.
“Can you please just respect my wishes.”
“We’d better keep quiet Zarg. We don’t want your father in a mood for when we land. That includes you too Edwin. We want to keep that lovely smile on daddy's face don’t we?” She wiggled Edwin’s cheek in rhetorical glee.
“Splendid.” Edwin rocked his chair and laughed for no justifiable reason other than he was young and could get away with that kind of thing.
“I still think its mean. It’s our basic right to speak.” Zarg began to feel a mood coming on.
“Well it’s done and that’s that.” Ted made the error of answering.
; “And we can’t appeal the decision?”
“No. I am the Appeal court and I say no too.”
“What if I’m hurt and need to speak to alert everyone to my need for help?” Zarg continued down the legal route.
“If it is a serious injury then you may fill in the required forms.”
“What if…” The soft thud of the ship landing interrupted Zarg’s sentence. Ted opened his eyes and returned his head to its normal viewing plain.
“As we have landed you may all feel free to speak once more. Thank you for complying with my wishes.” Ted’s words were lost on the bustling family. Zarg had already flipped his bag on to his back and was heading towards the door. Doreen was busy lifting Edwin from his high chair. She quickly reverted to motherly mode, calling after her eldest.
“Are you sure you’ve packed everything Zarg?”
“Yes mother.”
“Jumper?” She distracted Edwin with something bright while attaching his baby harness.
“Yes mother.” Zarg almost jumped up and down with excitement as he waited at the room’s exit.
“Spare food?”
“We’ve been through this.”
“Gloves? For all the good they’ll do you.” She attached the other side of Edwin’s harness to her torso.
“Does it matter what I say in response.” Zarg realised his mother wasn’t listening.
The ship’s speaker system interrupted Doreen’s list to announce they had landed. It went on to inform the Jefferian’s of where to gather depending on which mission party they had been assigned to. Teenagers were instructed to head to designated exits where they would be allowed out to explore their new home.
“Where’s my hug?” Doreen called Zarg back from the door he’d so eagerly ran to.
“Mum.” Zarg stamped his foot with a mixture of giddiness and frustration.
“You’re never too big to give your mum a hug. Come here.” Zarg trudged over and gave a half hearted hug. Doreen felt his bag and slipped an extra piece of Dovwar pie inside. “You have fun, and we’ll see you back here in a few harlens.”
“Okay, I will.” Zarg didn’t look back as he ran to the door.
“Bye son.” Ted offered a wave that wouldn’t be seen. Zarg had only one thing on his mind, freedom, and the chance it gave him to explore a new world on his terms. It was time to leave the young, moody Zarg behind and become a man of the universe. At least until his food ran out.